Carrot Ginger Salad

This Carrot Ginger Salad is one of those simple yet incredibly flavorful dishes that has a way of making everything else taste better. It's crunchy, refreshing, and has that perfect balance of sweet and sour with a warm zing from the ginger—kind of like sushi ginger, but a bit more versatile. 

It's somewhere between a salad and a quick pickle, and it goes beautifully with rich meat dishes such as a Wagyu steak or karaage, but it can add a burst of brightness to any meal (and I'm not just talking about the color). This makes it a great addition to bento boxes, and I recently packed some along with my Ginger Pork Chops for an episode of Bento Expo. 

Carrots don't contain a lot of moisture, and their natural sweetness melds with the tart rice vinegar, creating this beautiful pickling brine without needing to do the usual sweat and squeeze steps typical of a quick pickle. If you want to serve this in smaller quantities as a palate cleanser, it's great as is, but if you want to serve a larger portion as a side salad, I recommend lightly squeezing out some excess vinegar and tossing it with olive oil. This mellows out the sharp tartness and balances the flavors, making the salad feel more well-rounded and satisfying.